Our favorite time of year (during the winter) is almost here!! February 1, 2018 is National I Heart Camp Day! Help us spread the word on the importance of summer camp. Remember all those funny pictures we took of you with the “I heart Camp ” Poster. Well, on February 1, 2018 Camp Woodland campers, parents, staff, and alumni are encouraged to post their ” I heart Camp” photo as their Facebook Profile. Don’t have Facebook?

Here are a few ideas to show the world (or just your friends) how much camp means to you!

* We took these photos at the end of the summer. We apologize if your daughter could not be part of this project and hope to do the photos throughout the entire next summer! Make your own photo and post it! We love to see your child’s creativity!

There’s a very distinct feeling that you get when you arrive home after a busy day or a vacation, and it can be described as being in that uniquely comfortable and all too familiar atmosphere. I was struck with this feeling two times over the past month. First, when I moved back home from my dorm after finishing up my freshman year of college, and then again when I turned onto the Woodland Road just three days ago. Last summer, I made the choice to take a pass on coming to Woodland after five consecutive years to instead travel England for a month. I justified that hard decision by telling myself that traveling would broaden my horizon with new experiences and culture, but not a day went by that Camp Woodland did not cross my mind. By the time September rolled around and I was heading off to start college, I found myself regretting my summer plans, and I am here to tell you just how important summers at Woodland are.

Being at Camp Woodland is extremely healthy, both physically and emotionally. There are a very limited amount of places that can provide such a perfect blend of an active lifestyle, friends as close as family, and the beautiful North Woods. Spending six weeks in such an encouraging atmosphere every summer has never failed to refresh me from the amount of technology that is relied on now a day to begin the next school year with a clear head, a positive outlook, and a strong foundation with nature.

Missing camp last summer made me realize just how much I need to be appreciating Camp Woodland and all of its many qualities, as they mean more to us than we could ever imagine. Without camp, the year feels incomplete. I was always told that you never really know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and as cliché as it is, it is so important to value every opportunity there is. At Woodland, we learn to be better versions of ourselves, and we have every aspect of our experiences to thank for that.

I have only been at pre-camp for a few days now, but it seems as though I had never left. From the second I turned onto the Woodland Road on Sunday morning; my chest was pounding with excitement, my smile was stretched ear to ear, and my lungs were breathing in as much of the familiar air as they possibly could. I knew that I had come home again.

Last summer we were on a quest – a quest to find out why campers love Camp Woodland so much! To the outside world, the term “camp” is lumped into one “kettle”, but in reality each camp has something that makes campers feel special. The fantastic Natalie, Sailing Director extrodianare, lead the quest which turned into “Campers of Camp Woodland“. First year campers, veteran campers, international campers, and almost every type of camper at Camp Woodland were asked a series of questions. The answers were inspiring, enriching, and it reminds us why camp is an important part of childhood. Below is just one of many illustrations of our Campers of Camp Woodland series. You can find more on our instagram page (Woodland4girls)! We hope you follow us this summer, as we are “Creating Our Own Scene in 2017!”.

We are proud to welcome Daphne to our Camp Woodland Staff! Daphne will be a Junior Counselor this ,and she grown up through Camp Woodland program, including our prestigious 2 year Counselor-in-Training program. Please read her poem about all of her summers spent at camp!

Where I’m From

I am from the north woods, raised with my sisters, running wild with the dreamers surrounding me

I am from laughter under the pine trees as the sun peeks through the Climax forest

I am from splashing and smiling with the lake gnomes in cold-coffee stained Sand Lake

I am from “the wind through your hair and the excitement” of winning a sail race

I am from the pounding of hooves through the clearing in the woods.

Daphne helping campers during field games

And the bang of a gun as the bullet leaves the barrel, whizzes through the air, and finds its mark in the center of the target

I am from the crackle and pop of the always dancing flames of the fire next to the glass lake, reflecting the picturesque sunset

The roasting of marshmallows and the gooeyness of the first bite of that perfect s’more

I am from walking into the lodge every meal and knowing exactly what we are having to eat

I am from dancing and singing without a care in the world

I am from early mornings and late nights, talking with my cabin mates for hours about anything and everything, trusting them completely because I know they will always be there for me, like I will always be there for them

Our favorite time of year (during the winter) is almost here!! February 1, 2017 is National I Heart Camp Day! Help us spread the word on the importance of summer camp. Remember all those funny pictures we took of you with the “I heart Camp ” Poster. Well, on February 1, 2017 Camp Woodland campers, parents, staff, and alumni are encouraged to post their ” I heart Camp” photo as their Facebook Profile. Don’t have Facebook?

Here are a few ideas to show the world (or just your friends) how much camp means to you!

All you have to do is: 1- find your picture, 2- download it by clicking the download tab on the bottom right of the photo, 3-Post it this Wednesday, Feburary 1!

* We took these photos at the end of the summer. We apologize if your daughter could not be part of this project and hope to do the photos throughout the entire next summer! Make your own photo and post it! We love to see your child’s creativity!